Sapphire/Eraser Extreme DP R

[cgroves]

Anyone seen both of these gliders in action? How much more performance does the Extreme really give? Any known weaknesses in the Extreme?

[Ol' Ken]

I own both models ( an Eraser F3J KC with a V tail ) and have flown both. I'll gather my thoughts and provide a semi-sentient response later this evening.

Howzat

[Ol' Ken]

I own both models ( an Eraser F3J KC with a V tail ) and have flown both. I'll gather my thoughts and provide a semi-sentient response later this evening.

Howzat


So here are my thoughts:

The Eraser has a performance advantage over the Sapphire, the low camber airfoil will let the plane cruise faster and farther. With a little bit of camber it will thermal very well and with some reflex it can scoot across the sky as fast as anything flying in the area. It launches tall and zooms well. The landings are a bit faster than the average TD ship but with crow they are easy once you get it dialed in and used to the way it likes to land.
As with any hollow moulded sailplane the wings and tail are fragile in comparison to a built up or foam veneer wing. Think of an egg. Drop it from 10feet and watch, now try it with a styrofoam or balsa egg - anyway you get my drift. The Eraser has a seems to have a reputation for the fuse breaking behind the wing saddle, I have seen a number of posts about this on another forum. There may also be RX reception issues with the C/F reinforce fuselage.
The Eraser is a higher performance type plane and one would need some expirience flying aileron type sailplanes before getting one- IT IS NOT A TRAINER.

The Sapphire is a lower tech type plane. A fibreglass/kevlar fuse with plug in wings. The wings are vacuum bagged obechi over foam with C/F reinforcement and carbon tube spar/wing tube. These wings are very rugged and can take some abuse that would destroy a moulded wing. The airfoil section is not as "modern" as the Eraser but it works very well. The Sapphire can launch very high and do a pretty decent zoom. Launch and the zoom height has more to do with technique than brute speed up the line. It is also fast enough to cruise about the sky in search of lift or to runaway from sink. The plane approaches the landing spot very well and is controllable at silly slow speeds. The Sapphire set up is not as critical as in the Eraser it would make a good second flat wing sailplane or perhaps a 1st if one had a fair amount of stick time on a full function power plane.

On any given day day either plane can win a contest around here or any TD event. Either sailplanes performance has more to do with the pilot than the plane itself.

For my money the Sapphire is the best bang for the buck available at the current time for an ARF type plane although you do need to do some building while the Eraser is complete- drop in the servos install the contol horns etc and go flying. If you want to fly at a higher level of competion such as down in the states with the assorted and sundry soaring leagues I would by an Eraser or three from ICARE but for anything happening in locally or any event in the states I might attend a Sapphire would be very competetive anyway at 1/2 the price.

Check the contest results from the ORCC 2 Day contest and the MATS two day to see how Sapphires fly against the mouldies.

But if you like to fly a great plane for fun an Eraser certainly is fun.

You may want to go to the glider field on Sunday to see the various planes fly and talk to the guys out there before deciding.

Thats it, YMMV

[cgroves]

So here are my thoughts:


The Eraser has a performance advantage over the Sapphire, the low
camber airfoil will let the plane cruise faster and farther. With a
little bit of camber it will thermal very well and with some reflex it
can scoot across the sky as fast as anything flying in the area. It
launches tall and zooms well. The landings are a bit faster than the
average TD ship but with crow they are easy once you get it dialed in
and used to the way it likes to land.


Thats what i was looking for. I currently have a Spirit 100 and Spirit
Elite 2M that I have been flying for a few years (stepped up from a
long line (20 years) of floaters Ladys, Olympics, etc.) I want to add a
high-tech glider to my fleet with some higher penetration. I was
impressed either last year or year before when I stopped by for a
training night at the Nyx, etc gliders being flown.



The Sapphire is a lower tech type plane. A fibreglass/kevlar fuse with
plug in wings. The wings are vacuum bagged obechi over foam with C/F
reinforcement and carbon tube spar/wing tube. These wings are very
rugged and can take some abuse that would destroy a moulded wing. The
airfoil section is not as "modern" as the Eraser but it works very
well. The Sapphire can launch very high and do a pretty decent zoom.
Launch and the zoom height has more to do with technique than brute
speed up the line. It is also fast enough to cruise about the sky in
search of lift or to runaway from sink. The plane approaches the
landing spot very well and is controllable at silly slow speeds. The
Sapphire set up is not as critical as in the Eraser it would make a
good second flat wing sailplane or perhaps a 1st if one had a fair
amount of stick time on a full function power plane.


What is the Sapphire airfoil? I didn't think it was a flat bottom wing
given the type of performance most people describe. I have a lot of
stick time on gliders and a few years flying helicopters so my biggest
problem is getting into the wrong "mode".



On any given day day either plane can win a contest around here or any
TD event. Either sailplanes performance has more to do with the pilot
than the plane itself.


Which is one of the things that makes soaring so much fun. :D



For my money the Sapphire is the best bang for the buck available at
the current time for an ARF type plane although you do need to do some
building while the Eraser is complete- drop in the servos install the
contol horns etc and go flying. If you want to fly at a higher level of
competion such as down in the states with the assorted and sundry
soaring leagues I would by an Eraser or three from ICARE but for
anything happening in locally or any event in the states I might attend
a Sapphire would be very competetive anyway at 1/2 the price.


I am having trouble finding a Sapphire to assemble. I would love to add
one to my fleet and retire the Spirit 100 but as I said on the ORCC-G
list NESail has stopped carrying them and I am running out of time to
assemble and do tuning flights and still be able to enjoy one this
season. I have ordered an Extreme DP from NESail but it will arrive in
three months and is really for next year. I tried contacting Ed Whyte
but got no response yet. Any other ideas on where to get one?



Check the contest results from the ORCC 2 Day contest and the MATS two day to see how Sapphires fly against the mouldies.


I have been watching the results and the Sapphires have been very impressive.



You may want to go to the glider field on Sunday to see the various planes fly and talk to the guys out there before deciding.


If I can make it out I'll see you there. Would be nice to use a winch
again instead of my hi-start. Thanks for all the info/comments.

Corey

[Ol' Ken]

The airfoil is a 7037.

Ed is likely at the US Nats- he will return your e-mail.

You may want to check the other sailplane forums ( RCU, RC Groups and RCSE) about Sal at NSP he can be a bit of a pain.